Whyteleafe 1 Dulwich Hamlet 1

Ryman Isthmian League Division One South

Saturday 18^th March 2007

Sun-dappled Church Road, bucolic abode of homely Whyteleafe, may well prove to be the final resting place of Dulwich Hamlet's Championship dreams after this lacklustre draw against determined, if attack-shy, hosts. Some might blame the parched Church Road turf, bearing more resemblance to a pre-season Saharan dustbowl, played a part in Hamlet's failure to capture all three points on offer, severely hampering Dulwich's attempts to play the sweet flowing football that had ravaged a ragged ‘Leafe when last the sides had met. Others would point to the performance of one Carl Emberson between the posts for the ‘Leafe, defying the years and gravity to pull off one amazing first save to claw the ball away for a corner after Dulwich debutante Damien Scannell had held off the challenge of brace of defenders in the chase for a long ball out of defence, chipping the time-worn ‘keeper only to watch in amazement as the ball was acrobatically kept out. The former Hamlet man was aided and abetted in defensive duties by two others, late of this parish, who performed manfully in defence, the Colossus of Church Road, skipper Danny Arkwright (if Emberson is evergreen this man is a Giant Sequoia) and another for whom time seems to have stood still, Ali Reeve. By hook or by crook, Reeve kept the pacy Hamlet attack in check, though the odd broadside, particularly one on Phil Williams, did go unnoticed by the officials. Perhaps too the changes made in the wake of the Tooting reverse played there part, new boy Scannell leading the attack alongside Leigh Bremner, Phil Williams returning to the starting line-up as both Serge Musungu and Mazin Ahmad were dropped to the bench. Also missing talismanic skipper Jamie Coyle, injury precluding his participation.

As fans dozed in the early spring sunshine, there was little to rouse them from their slumbers bar the acrobatics of the Emberson. Stumbling backwards as he shot Bremner failed to test the ‘keeper with a shot stabbed wide from the edge of the area but again in the thick of it, the ‘Leafe custodian made a fine block at the feet of Scannell as the striker threatened from the left corner of the six yard box. Then at last a goal! 37 minutes on the clock and Kenny Beaney pumps a free kick into the heart of the Whyteleafe penalty area. Defenders dither, the ball reaches Shawn Beveney but his attempt on goal is smothered only for the ball to run to Lewis Tozer, skippering the XI in the injury-enforced absence of Jamie Coyle. He swivels eight yards from goal, drives the ball past a static Emberson and somehow, despite the presence of a last defender on the goal line, the ball squirms through his legs and trickles into the net.

The lead lasted barely four minutes as ‘Leafe drew level with their first meaningful chance of a barren half. All Hamlet's defensive eyes focussed on Arkwright, the attention was switched instead to Sean Rivers who rose virtually unchallenged as Callum McLean delivered a free kick to the back of the box, a firm header from the ‘Leafe man and the ball was succinctly planted in the back of Simon Overland's net.

In the final minute of the half, Whyteleafe might well have had a second, as imbued with new-found attacking vigour, they started to come out of their shell. A storming run from McLean provided the catalyst and though his charge was smothered on the edge of the area by the combined challenges of Jason Turley and Justyn Roberts, the ball ran into the path of Leon McDowall who unleashed a thunderbolt of a shot that singed the woodwork as it flew over the bar of Overland.

Hamlet made an early change six minutes into the second half as Bremner, his industry failing to reap dividends, was replaced by Musungu. Still the game failed to rise above a gentle adagio, ‘Leafe threatened more but Hamlet still held the upper hand, if failing to turn territorial advantage into that of the goalscoring kind.

On the hour mark, the pitch claimed its first victim as Richard Williams stumbled backwards as he went to take a throw-in. The incident brought chuckles and guffaws all round, but concerns were raised as Williams clambered to his feet in an attempt to retake the throw only to collapse in an agonised heap. On came yet another former Hamlet man, Ellis Conroy, whilst a distressed Williams was helped from the field to be taken to hospital where an x-ray revealed a fracture to the unfortunate lad's tibia.

On 68 minutes Phil Williams finally got the better of the obdurate Reeve, the defender taking revenge and his opponent's legs as the Hamlet winger burst into the box. Penalty and a chance once more for Dulwich to regain the lead they had squandered. Up stepped Scannell, hoping to mark his competitive debut in Pink and Blue with a goal, but evergreen Emberson had other ideas, diving to his left to parry away the spot kick then bravely throwing himself on the ball as Scannell attempting to atone for his miss and stab home the rebound.

With ten minutes left, Mazin Ahmad replaced a subdued Beveney but even this injection of pace could not provide the fillip the game desperately needed. Best of the Hamlet chances came when Nicolas Plumain let fly with a low drive from fully thirty yards out that bounced awkwardly on the arid terrain but was still comfortably smothered by Emberson diving left. A late resurgence from ‘Leafe might even have sent the points their way, Overland's coming under sustained threat for perhaps the first time in the game, but despite forcing a number of corners, ‘Leafe could not find the opening to steal victory.

Teams:

WFC: Carl Emberson; Richard Williams (Ellis Conroy 60); Carlo Castrechino; Ali Reeve; Danny Arkwright (Capt.); Danny Boxall; Callum McLean; Robert Smith (Chris O'Flaherty 77); Sean Rivers; Danny Platel (Joe Clark 77); Leon McDowell

Substitutes not used: Michael Riley; Danny Coote (GK)

Cautions: Robert Smith

DHFC: Simon Overland; Jason Turley; Gavin Dayes; Justyn Roberts; Nicolas Plumain; Lewis Tozer (Capt) (Stanley Muguo 70); Shawn Beveney (Mazin Ahmad 81); Kenny Beaney; Leigh Bremner (Serge Musungu 53); Damien Scannell; Phil Williams

Substitutes not used: Matt Dean; David Milton

Attendance: 264

Officials:

Referee: Mr T Power

Assistant Referees: Mr R Wilkins & Mr P Wood

Goalscoring:

1-0 DHFC Lewis Tozer 37^th minute

1-1 WFC Sean Rivers 40^th minute

As usual click on the pictures to see a larger version.